About 107,000 Murcia suffer from diabetes in the Region of Murcia, according to the official data of the Murcian Health Service (SMS), of which 95 percent are over 14 years old.However, it is estimated that this figure can ascend to 40,000 or 50,000 more people suffering from this disease, since diabetes does not usually have symptoms in the most initial stages, and can remain hidden or without diagnosing for years, which increases the figureto about 150,000.
The number of patients registered in the region is between 12.5 and 13 percent of the total population, which places it slightly below the national average, which is found in 13.8 percent.
The number of diagnoses, as is the national level, is experiencing a slight growth over the last years, so it is a priority to promote healthy lifestyle habits, but also bet on early detection and control for controlof this pathology due to its levels of incidence and its complications, "explained the Minister of Health, Encarna Guillén.
The head of Health has stressed, in this sense, that its counseling consigned 56.2 million euros in 2016 at the cost of pharmacological treatment for insulins and other drugs to treat diabetes.
Guillén has met this Thursday with responsible for the associations that make up the Regional Murcia Federation of Diabetics Associations (FREMUD), chaired by Silvia Serrano, with whom he has analyzed the actions that are carried out from the regional administration to support these patients.
Guillén stressed that addressing diabetes "requires a global model that implies both the administration and scientific societies, patient associations and professionals."
The head of Health also recalled the need to insist on the adoption of lifestyles focused on healthy eating and the practice of physical exercise as the basis of prevention since "up to 70 percent of type 2 diabetes can beprevent with life habits. "
The Ministry of Health participates in a European project whose purpose is to strengthen diabetes patients in their care process.Through this initiative, the most advanced tool in Europe will be designed to improve the quality of life of people suffering from type 2 diabetes, allowing them a higher level of independence and control of their disease.
Thanks to this project, they will have a mobile application and a complete glucose sensor platform, information on treatments, training and communication tools with experts and patients, they indicate from the Ministry.
The SMS also works on the project to improve patients with diabetes, which affects the lifestyles of diabetics, and in the 'Activa Program', which promotes healthy habits through the prescription of physical exercise through the optionalof family and community medicine.
In addition to the project 'Integral and Efficient Care of Diabetes' of the Internal Medicine Service of the Reina Sofía de Murcia Hospital that was recognized last year in the call 'Good practices of the National Health System'.
It should be noted within this program, the work that is being carried out to develop a computer system (the Findrisk test) with which from a series of parameters a score can be obtained that indicates the level of risk to suffer from diabetes.Likewise, work is still being worked on in the 'Integrated Assistance Process: Diabetes', which seeks to improve coordination between hospital and primary care.
The Region of Murcia also currently participates, represented by Dr. Carmen Navarro of the Epidemiology Service ofThe Ministry, and together with investigators from 14 countries, in an international study that has made it possible to discover genetic factors associated with type 2 diabetes.
